Fancy Mouse - Handling

Handling

Latex or nitrile hand gloves should be worn while handling mice; although common house mice are known to be the safest of all mice, it is advisable when purchasing a new mouse to always be protected from any possible diseases they could transmit.

Although mice are small animals and care must be taken to avoid injury, they are also surprisingly robust and inquisitive. Once out of the cage many enjoy running along their owners' arms, investigating pockets, or just sitting on the owner's lap and grooming. Some mice also tolerate gentle petting. Care must be taken as mice have poor eyesight and may try to lean too far over an edge and fall. Care must especially be taken when being handled by small children as they may be overly rough. Fancy mice very rarely bite, except when they are hurt or very frightened, and usually it is the fault of the human handling them, as mice are not aggressive. They do have a very large chance of biting new people, especially males who are wild and territorial.

Unfortunately mice cannot be house trained and will often defecate and urinate while first being handled, especially if they are nervous. The feces of a healthy mouse consists of a relatively innocuous solid pellet a few millimetres long. However their urine is often pungent, particularly with males, and may stain fabric.